Emotions will run high today as more than 51,000 people head for the finish line of one of the country's most iconic races - including dozens from Kent.

Love, grief and courage are just some of the incentives which will push thousands of men and women to complete the 26-mile route of the Virgin London Marathon.

Here are just some of those taking part from the county.

There are countless stories of triumph over adversity when it comes to the London Marathon - but few are more amazing than that of Folkestone mum Chris Pegler.

The 43-year-old will take on the formidable challenge today, just 12 months after surgery to remove a brain tumour.

She had originally planned to run in last year’s marathon but was forced to pull out because of her diagnosis in January 2014.

Chris will be joined on the run by husband James, who also deferred his entry from last year, and both will be raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity.

Chris said: "I think my brain tumour and the marathon are so closely tied together that running on Sunday is the right thing to do."

Video: Matt Leclere meets Chris Pegler

Click here to support Chris and James.

Martin King, 39, from Downswood in Maidstone, has completed three marathons before but the medal from this race will be a symbol of strength shown by him and his wife Hazel after the heartbreaking death of their baby.

In August last year, the couple’s daughter Sienna was stillborn at 36 weeks.

Mr King is raising funds for Sands, a stillbirth and neonatal death charity which supported the couple.

The operations manager, 39, said: "I wasn’t planning to run a marathon this year but after what happened, I wanted to give something back to the charity.

"I would say I’ve trained for this more than any other marathon. I want to make Sienna proud."

To sponsor Mr King, click here.

For Paul Smith, also from Maidstone, the marathon will be extra difficult.

Mr Smith suffers from etinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease which has left him blind in one eye and visually impaired in the other.

On the day, he will be guided by Clare Wilson and her husband Lee, from West Malling.

The trio hope to raise £6,000 for Guide Dogs to go towards the £50,000 needed to train a pup.

To sponsor the group, click here.

A couple who found love through a Facebook group for marathon runners will be among the thousands pounding the capital's pavements.

Liam Gibson, 40, who works at Sittingbourne’s Asda store, met girlfriend Zoe Norman, 32, through the online group she set up for the Brighton and London marathons.

Mr Gibson’s chosen charity is Demelza Hospice Care for Children, which has a facility in Rook Lane, Bobbing.

To sponsor him, click here.

After losing his friend to motor neurone disease, a Chatham man is keeping a promise and running his first marathon to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Alex Mabb, 28, known to his friends as Alfie, is running in memory of his close friend Jody Duff.

Jody, of Fanconi Road, Lordswood, lost his battle with motor neurone disease on October 4 last year, aged 37, having raised almost £40,000 for the MND Association.

Alex said: "When Jody got the news he’d only got three months to live, I told him that if I got a place this year I'd run for him.

"I found out I had been selected, and then sadly two days later he passed away. I like to think he knows that I’m doing it for him."

Sponsor Alex by clicking here.

Two friends are running their first marathon in memory of their good friend Ryan Felix Glenny, the young dad who lost his life to cancer last year.

Rico Smith, 24, and Dean Owens, 25, from Strood, will take part in the Virgin London Marathon on April 26 to raise money for Beating Bowel Cancer.

The pair are trying to raise £2,000 each which will help Beating Bowel Cancer with research to find a cure or help people with the disease.

To donate, click here.

Are you taking part in the Virgin London Marathon, or going along to cheer on the runners? Email photos to news@thekmgroup.co.uk or tweet us @Kent_Online.